Elra didn't have to convince me at all as it could not have been a better opportunity for me to bake that brioche for the very first time and put my sourdough know-how as well as my courage and resilience as a mad homebaker to the test...

At first, I was a little nervous regarding the recipe we were asked to use as it calls for a sourdough starter. Knowing how tricky it is to work with such an unstable living entity/ingredient, I was not too sure regarding the outcome of the recipe.

Anyway, I made Beth Hensperger's ridiculously easy "Sourdough Starter" for the first time and luckily, the "monster" proved to be more tame and stable than the ones I had made in the past and which needed more attention.

So, I followed the recipe and adapted it according to my baking modest experience. Thankfully, everything went smoothly and I came across no problem at all. This led to good results as the end product was mindblowingly beautiful and stunningly toothsome!

Rarely have I eaten such a heavenly delicacy! This lovely Italian egg brioche is somehow similar to "Panettone" or "Pandoro" (not exactly though as there are slight differences in the making, composition and texture) and is a delicate candied bread that could very well be compared to a cake as it is sweet and luscious. The tangy and yeasted flavor of the sourdough starter contrast wonderfully with the more fruity as well as nutty mellowness flavors of the "Colomba Pasquale". And, it's light, shreddy and divinely smooth texture will leaves me all the more speechless. This godly brioche is a revelation!

Homemade "Colomba Pasquale" brioches are mighty scrumptious and sooooo good that eating a slice will instantly put you in a state of total bliss that'll take hours to fade away! Trust me, it is definitely worth all the efforts and time put into their making!

Cindystar at "Cindystar" (Italy) will be hosting a "ColombaPasquale" event, so if you want to participate, here's what you have to know:

1. Bake your colomba, feel free to follow any recipe, and blog about it.2. Please link back to this announcement in your post, and eventually to the round up.3. Leave a comment to her post linking your entry.4. The last day of submission is April 18th, 24.00 Rome Time.

5. For further information please do not hesitate to contact her at cmc(at)cindystar(dot)it. 6. The roundup will be on line on April the 21st 2009.

We all chose different recipes, but everybody is free to follow their favorite one.So, if you think it's a good challenge, if you have already done and blogged about your "Colomba Pasquale", if you are going to do so, if you don't yet know which recipe to follow or if you would like to take part in the "Happy Baking Easter" event, then this event is for you!

Ingredients for the "Frosting":30g Hazelnuts55g Blanched almonds, toasted10g Pinenuts225g SugarEnough egg white to blendPearl sugar, for sprinklingConfectioner's sugar, for decoratingMethod for the "First Dough":1. Over low heat, melt the sugar in 150g water.2. Let cool until lukewarm.3. Whisk the sourdough starter together with the egg yolks.4. Add the sugar syrup, 1/3 of the flour and the butter. Beat well until blended.5. Add the rest of the flour and continue to beat for about 5 minutes, until you obtain a viscous dough.6. Add 50g water, little by little and beat well until incorporated.7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise, for about 12 hours in warm place (at room temperature).

Method for the "Second Dough":8. Add to the first dough : flour, honey, salt and sugar. Beat well with a spatula.9. When the dough comes together in a ball add the yolks, one at a time and then the melted butter (not too hot) little by little, while beating well.10. Then add the orange zest and candied orange peels. Incorporate well.11. Let the dough rest one hour covered with a cloth/towel12. Then shape (as shown here/first the wings and then the body over them).13. Let the the colomba breads rest for 3 to 4 hours until they reach the edges of the mold.Method for the "Frosting" and "Baking":14. Finely mince all the dry fruits (apart from the almonds) and set aside.15. Incorporate enough egg white to the sugar in order to obtain a soft batter to spread.16. Cover the colomba breads with the frosting, sprinkle with the chopped nuts and almonds as well as with the pearl sugar.17. Cover with a lot of icing sugar.18. Bake at 180° C (350° F) for 50 minutes.

Remarks:Instead of using candied orange peel only, you can also use any other chopped candied fruits (lemon, mixe peel, etc...).I didn't have pinenuts, so I used 65g almonds instead of the 55g requested.If you don't have dove paper moulds, then you can also use Panettone paper moulds or round (and high) pans.

Serving suggestions:These "Colomba Pasquale" brioches are so good that you should eat them without restraint or moderation!!!They are delicious with a good cup of tea or coffee.

WOW Rosa, I am so very proud of you, you colomba look so beautiful and delicious. I will definitely make the recipe again and borrow your adaptation if I may. As I e-mail you that I was not satisfied with mine at all. I am so glad that I've invited you, you did fantastic and fabulous job.Big kiss for that,elra

Rosa...first prize for you!For colomba and pics!I am astonished...a very great great good super job!Thanks again for supporting my event, I really loved to bake with you and all other friends!I posted my colomba as well, a little bit late but I had a very busy w.e....baciiiii!

Wow! Beautiful Colomba!My first dough is proofing right now. I didn't see this recipe before I started on my own which is based on the Panettone recipe I came up with for christmas.I can only hope mine will be half as successful as yours! I'll post it up on my blog if it works OK.Cheers,FP

That topping looks insanely good! Ahh, I love Beth Hensperger recipes. I used to work with her when I wrote for the San Jose Mercury News food section. She is a doll to collaborate with, and her recipes are always spot on.

Wow.. that looks really delicious. Nearly wanted to eat my laptop up. hehe... But it seems like a more complicated process compared to the usual brioche that I once made. But this seriously looks good.

oh my.. thsi looks soo good. I love brioche but this is so much better.. looks intimidating to make though, for amateur bakers like me :o(.. If I don't have castor sugar, can i use regular sugar instead?

Wow this looks so enticing. You did such a professional-looking job and your photos are gorgeous. I never dared try bake one of these, but I've seen so many now over the blogosphere that I want to try.

Wow! Rosa, that Easter bread looks and reads like a truly wonderful loaf of baked goodness. :-) I will be baking our Greek Easter bread in the next couple days as our Easter is next week. Have a Happy Easter!

Thank you for this recipe! I have been trying to create one of my own this season, but it became far too hazardous for my hips to eat my mistakes! This is absolutely beautiful. I am glad to have found your blog today.